Wireless earbud

Abstract

A wireless earbud including an outer housing, an internal assembly, and an inner housing. The outer housing and the inner housing may couple together to form a water tight enclosure for the internal assembly. The internal assembly may include components that carry out a function of the wireless earbud, such as printed circuit boards, network interfaces, batteries, loudspeakers, and so forth. The outer housing may also include a proximity sensor for receiving touch and/or antenna(s) for communicatively coupling the wireless earbud to other electronic devices. Additionally, the inner housing may include a charging module for the wireless earbud.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An in-ear device comprising:
 a first housing; 
 a second housing configured to couple to the first housing; 
 a frame residing at least partly within at least one of the first housing or the second housing, the frame defining a cavity; 
 a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed at least partly adjacent to a first side of the frame; 
 a second PCB disposed at least partly adjacent to a second side of the frame; 
 a connector communicatively coupling the first PCB and the second PCB; and 
 a battery disposed at least partly within the cavity and being at least partly interposed between the first PCB and the second PCB. 
 
     
     
       2. The in-ear device of  claim 1 , further comprising a touch-sensitive interface disposed on at least one of the first housing or the second housing. 
     
     
       3. The in-ear device of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing defines a first opening and the second housing defines a second opening and a third opening, the in-ear device further comprising:
 a first microphone arranged adjacent to the first opening; 
 a second microphone arranged adjacent to the second opening; and 
 a third microphone arranged adjacent to the third opening. 
 
     
     
       4. The in-ear device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first housing comprises a first attachment mechanism; and 
 the second housing comprises a second attachment mechanism configured to engage the first attachment mechanism to couple the first housing and the second housing. 
 
     
     
       5. The in-ear device of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing defines at least one opening, the in-ear device further comprising a charging module residing at least partly within the at least one opening or at least partly extending through the at least one opening. 
     
     
       6. The in-ear device of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing defines an opening, the in-ear device further comprising a loudspeaker oriented to emit sound towards the opening. 
     
     
       7. An audio device comprising:
 a first housing defining an opening; 
 a second housing coupled to the first housing; 
 a frame; 
 a battery disposed at least partly within the frame; 
 a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on a first side of the battery; 
 a second PCB disposed on a second side of the battery and communicatively coupled to the first PCB; and 
 a loudspeaker oriented to emit sound towards the opening. 
 
     
     
       8. The audio device of  claim 7 , wherein the first housing further defines a second opening and a third opening, the audio device further comprising a charging module including:
 a first charging contact residing at least partly within the second opening or at least partly extending through the second opening; and 
 a second charging contact residing at least partly within the third opening or at least partly extending through the third opening. 
 
     
     
       9. The audio device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a touch sensitive interface; 
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising: 
 receiving, via the touch sensitive interface, first data representing a first touch input at the touch sensitive interface; 
 causing, based on the first data, a first action to be performed; 
 receiving, via the touch sensitive interface, second data representing a second touch input at the touch sensitive interface; and 
 causing, based on the second data, a second action to be performed. 
 
     
     
       10. The audio device of  claim 7 , wherein the first housing defines a first microphone port and the second housing defines a second microphone port and a third microphone port, the audio device further comprising:
 a first microphone substantially aligned with the first microphone port; 
 a second microphone substantially aligned with the second microphone port; and 
 a third microphone substantially aligned with the third microphone port. 
 
     
     
       11. The audio device of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one of an infrared sensor, an accelerometer, or a proximity sensor. 
     
     
       12. The audio device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a network interface; 
 one or more processors; and 
 one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising: 
 receiving audio data from a communicatively coupled device via the network interface; and 
 causing the audio data to be output via the loudspeaker. 
 
     
     
       13. An electronic device comprising:
 a first housing defining a least a first opening and a second opening; 
 a second housing coupled to the first housing, the second housing defining at least a third opening; 
 a battery housing; 
 a battery disposed at least partly within the battery housing; 
 a first printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on a first side of the battery; 
 a second PCB disposed on a second side of the battery; 
 a flex circuit communicatively coupling the first PCB and the second PCB; 
 a loudspeaker oriented to emit sound towards the first opening; 
 a first microphone substantially aligned with the second opening; and 
 a second microphone substantially aligned with the third opening. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first PCB or the second PCB couples to the battery housing. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the second housing further defines a fourth opening, the electronic device further comprising a third microphone substantially aligned with the fourth opening, and wherein the second microphone and the third microphone are disposed on the second PCB. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the first housing further defines a fourth opening and a fifth opening, the electronic device further comprising:
 a first charging contact residing at least partly within the fourth opening or at least partly extending through the fourth opening; and 
 a second charging contact residing at least partly within the fifth opening or at least partly extending through the fifth opening. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device of  claim 13 , further comprising a touch sensitive interface disposed on the second housing. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the first housing further defines a fourth opening, the electronic device further comprising an infrared (IR) sensor, and wherein the IR sensor at least partly extends into or through the fourth opening. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first housing comprises a first attachment mechanism; and 
 the second housing comprises a second attachment mechanism configured to engage the first attachment mechanism to couple the first housing and the second housing. 
 
     
     
       20. The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the flex circuit is disposed at least partly along an outer surface of the battery housing.